Noise, noise, noise

Tonight, thank God, the LeBron speculation stops, and then the LeBron fallout begins. It’ll be a news story with its own legs for weeks to come, months or years if he lands in New York.

Don’t know when, or if, the Kovalchuk stuff will ever end. Helene Elliott at the L.A. Times is reporting today that the Kings have closed the door, and that this time they may have locked it behind them, as Kovalchuk continues to demand $10M per season. I don’t think he’s getting that, at least not in North America.

Blah, blah, blah.

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I read the fabulous piece in Sports Illustrated last week, about the tragedy, the disaster, in the Gulf of Mexico. This is really what we should be discussing. It’s been pushed to the back of the news by alcoholic celebrities and, of course, LeBron, blah, blah.

260 Comments

this would be extremely unlikely but I wonder if Kovalchuk would consider taking a 1 year 10 mil contract. It would fit under the cap if Redden is waived, Brashear traded and Girardi replaced with an Anders Eriksson type.

There are two things that make me question Kovy’s drive to win a championship: his outrageous contract demands, and the amount of time he willingly spent playing in Atlanta, which during that time never, ever looked like they were going to contend for anything.

well i see it in 3 ways, even if its 10 mil its only for 1 season so it has minimal impact on prospects as our really good ones aren’t really NHL ready yet (Grachev, Stepan, Krieder, Werek etc.)

playing guys like Callahan, Dubi, Anisimov, Zuccarello on a line with Gaborik or Kovalchuk means automatic increase in points which can only help their development.

The Rangers could trade Kovalchuk’s expiring contract at the deadline for a huge return in prospects/picks that would allow Sather to complete freedom to make a trade in the offseason to bring in a star player as well as the cap space to bring in another star player.

Would MSG like to make it a 2-for-1 Thursday and announce Kovy signing to the Rangers? If its $10m he wants he’s not getting it in NYC. I can’t see us fitting under the summer cap (10% over) with Redden, Kovy, Staal and Girardi not to mention McDonough and Stepan’s contracts all still on the books and Redden cant be removed till camp.

Doodie – i couldn’t care less about LeBoring, i was just thinking about the Drury/Gomez signings and how this would be typical Dolan again to throw a whole boatload of money at 2 guys and expect them to win championships…

I want Kovalchuk with the Rangers, and I would not give him 10 mil per.I believe what Carp said yesterday, that the Rangers were never in it. because if they were they would have signed him already. no other team has the resources the Rangers have. if they wanted him, they would have him already.

ESPN would have done the show anywhere in the country for these ratings…the boys and girls club in Greenwich that caters to underprivileged kids from the NYC area is a perfect backdrop for his signing with the knicks

“The Rangers could trade Kovalchuk’s expiring contract at the deadline for a huge return in prospects/picks that would allow Sather to complete freedom to make a trade in the offseason to bring in a star player as well as the cap space to bring in another star player.”

Yeah i’m sure the 29 other teams are going to be lining up to trade for someone who has turned his summer Free Agency into a comedy act. He wants $10 million in a long term deal this summer, he’ll want it next summer as well.

He’s going to CT because of it being close to ESPN. Why Greenwich and not Bristol? Because all of the proceeds from his Lebronathon are going to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, and there just happens to be one in Greenwich.

ESPN could do it anywhere in the country but it’s easier for them to put together a last minute major broadcast closer to their home base than it would be in a more remote location where they would have to fly people and equipment.

Oleosmirfzo…I hope u are right. If espn wasn’t involved at all then the location would be more significant as far as possible knick connection. To me it just seems to have moe to do with being closer to espn hq and limited time to get everything set up for hour special. Again, I hope u are right because knicks will be pathetic with no lebron and a max contract to Amare.

Slats wanted Sundin awhile back and didnt get him so thats not that great of an argument for not landing Kovalchuk

The only thing we would have to do in order to sign Kovalchuk and stay under the Cap (+10% summer cushion) is hold off re-signing Staal until September (like Dubinsky last year) when we can demote Redden and Voros officially.

We currently have 7 million in Cap Space plus the extra 5.5 million Summer cushion. That is Plenty for Kovalchuk and Girardi until September

If the Rangers can sign Kovalchuk to a one year deal and then trade him at the trade deadline, I would do it in a heartbeat. It’s like getting value for free! That’s why it would never happen. Seriously, why the heck would a star player accept a one year contract with a rebuilding team? Of course they are going to trade him at the deadline. Such a contract would without a doubt come with a no trade clause.

Though I would be in support of a long term deal if they can afford it. As somerset pointed out, the Rangers have the cap room to do it + sign Girardi and Staal once Redden is waived. It doesn’t leave much room for depth signings, however, which are needed at D if Redden leaves (I don’t think too many young D can play at one time). Still, the Rangers aren’t in it to win now, they are in it to win in 3 years. By then Rozy and Drury’s salaries should be gone and the Rangers will have the cap space to resign all their new youth, plus 1-2 signings, plus Gabby and Kovy still in their primes. If Kovy will come for 8-9 mil/season for 10 seasons, I’d do it.

ESPN would have flown to the moon, to do this show b/c of all the ratings.

there are boys and girls clubs all over the country and ESPN had these plans days probably weeks in advance and they have the capabilities to fly to the Boys and Girls Club in Akron to do this show.

yet he chose to do it, in Greenwich CT which is 30 min away from MSG and an hour and a half from ESPN studios isn’t what I call close…man that would be pretty cruel to all those underprivileged NYC kids to come to their center and tell them he’s going to CHI, MIA or CLE

Carp, I read about the first paragraph of that article in SI and then ditched it.

I read about the gulf tragedy in the local newspaper, online and get the news updated on TV. I want a sports publication to take me away from all that. I subscribe to a sports publication to read about SPORTS. Sports is a diversion from the carcillo that happens in everyday life. I don’t need for a sports publication to add to it.

As for Kovalchuk, he’s not going to sign for one year. If he was going to do that, he would have been signed by now don’t you think?

I don’t really care where he goes. Let him go play hockey in Russia. He can buy a lot of borscht with $10 million.

“ESPN would have flown to the moon, to do this show b/c of all the ratings”

They would have, but it’s cheaper and easier to drive an hour and a half.

“ESPN had these plans days probably weeks in advance”

LeBron contacted them out of the blue a couple of days ago. There were no plans. ESPN was given three or four days to put together an hour-long major television special. It’s just so much more convenient (and cheaper!) for them to do it within driving distance.

Too bad about Stoudamire. They could have just kept David Lee for a lot less and had, in my opnion, a more complete player (and far less injury prone). Mike D’Antoni continues to be the worst decision made by Donnie Walsh.

I hope Lee signs with the Nets. I’m ready to switch allegiances once they come to Brooklyn for as long as Dolan owns MSG.

Doodie – why is it an hour long? Surely it only takes a few seconds to say “Its Miami” or “Its the Knicks” are they doing some sort of “This is your life” cr8p or a Larry King ESPN special where LeBoring cries about how hard it is to earn so much money?

If the Kings backed out because of their concerns for problems the huge cap hit Kovalchuk would create, then what do you think would happen to the Rangers? This doesn’t make a bit of sense! We need to dump salary just to get role players who might help us while our youth develops, not to take a huge gamble that Kovalchuk will be another Messier which I guarantee won’t happen…

Tune in tonight for ESPN’s airing of the Lebron-athon. For just $30 million dollars you can help your team can sponsor a two time MVP that has been given all the media attention he could ever want before he event stepped on an NBA court.

The only thing that would make me want to bang my head against a wall harder than this protracted mess is if Brett Favre took over the last 50 minutes of the press conference to waffle on his decision to come back to the Vikings or not.

UK: I imagine Lebron won’t say a word until at least thirty minutes in, if not longer. The first 30 minutes will involve discussions of his career, his personal life, experts making predictions and saying where hw ould be the best fit, and maybe some charity words on Boys and Girls Clubs of America. He comes on stage, talks for 5 minutes about who he is and where he’s come from, then says he’s going to Miami. then he takes questions for another 5-10 minutes, then 5 minutes of expert round-table talk, broadcast over.

CT, I’m hoping Favre makes his decision like 5 minutes before the Lebronathon airs. Or Barry Bonds comes clean on steroids. Some kind of massive story that will just suck all of the wind from LeBron’s sails.

The remaining 55 minutes of the LeBron special will include Kovalchuk’s announcement of where he’s going to play. Secretly, LeBron and Ilya are in cohoots to drive Kobe and Sidney crazy with all the media attention they are getting. They’re actually starting their own league on Mars.

Right now our hands are somewhat tied till we bury Redden’s contract. We can go 10% over the cap till the start of the season though, but we might do better by trading for someone we need. The UFA pool is a bit dried up, no?

all i have to say is if Lebron goes to Miami, he can never be considered one of the all-time greats.

going to Miami with Wade and Bosh, isnt a challenge. Its taking the easy way out and I will have no respect for him.

If he isnt willing to challenge himself and try to win Cleveland a title, overtake MJ or be possibly the great athlete in NY basketball hell even NY sports history, then he will never be a great one no matter how many titles he wins in Miami.

But does this seriously not demonstrate where hockey registers on the interest level of the general public? A single player can orchestrate an hour long “drop everything, where were you when?” media-fest just to say where he’s going to sign?

And the NHL gets VS to broadcast half the games for the best trophy in team sports.

LeBron James will hold a press conference tonight to announce that he and Ilya Kovalchuk will be exchanging last names. James and Ilya made that decision last night after going fishing together on Brighton Beach. Stay tuned for the official announcement from James Kovalchuk and Ilya LeBron.

Oleo,
Players don’t develop by getting points, they develop by playing. Adding another top-winger doesn’t get them any more playing time.

This is the first year the Rangers really might finish bottom-8 in the NHL! Just let it happen. Get a decent draft and start rebuilding next year (last years of Rozi and Drury contracts). Someone accurately bashed you for trying to trade kovalchuk’s “one year deal,” who do you think is going to want that Brashear contract that you said can be traded?

I am telling ya, just wait for the special appearance of Kanye West, insisting Meadowlark Lemon was the greatest basketball player of all time!! Either that, or Favre deciding between boxers or briefs for a hour

Lebron Miami-bound, or so they’re saying. That’s probably why Dolan had the Stoudamaire PC today – who cares? I don’t in the least, except for how it might affect the rangers.

Speaking of which, here’s a little positive – heard, regardless of how the IK thing shakes out, and I haven’t seen a single mention of it anywhere.

But supposedly one of the things the Rangers were trying to do was get Kovalchuk to team him with Anisimov, who they’re very high on (and whom Messier raves about). They think this will be a breakout year for him.
I happen to think it’ll require another year for anisimov to put it all together, or an inordinate amount of ice. But IK should would speed things up!!!

Whether intentional or not, arguments about how far it is from Bristol aside, Greenwich CT is 100% Knicks territory. Allan Houston lives there. Michal Nylander used to live there, as did Theo Fleury, and some of the current Rangers and Knicks also probably live there. CT has much lower real estate taxes than NY and Greenwich is this extremely affluent suburb that is 30 minutes from NYC – and if your driving is such that Bristol is 30 minutes from Greenwich (its not ita an hour and a half), then Greenwich is 10 minutes from NYC for you. So for Lebron and his camp to announce this in Greenwich simply cannot be considered insignificant – either he is signing with the Knicks or he is the least considerate athlete around.

Anyway, much more concerned with how well the Rangers’ youth manages to do in camp, how integreated into thwe lineup they end up being and where this leaves us at this time next year.

oleosmirf – sorry man, I just don’t see why he would take a one year deal and then play trade roulette again. Why not take a long term deal at 9M per instead? Just doesn’t make sense to me.

He’s not old. He’ll still be great when the youngins develop, and let’s be honest with ourselves – players like Kovalchuk just don’t fall into your lap – just getting a player like that is an accomplishment in and of itself, independent of what you pay him. If the Rangers can afford it, I see no reason not to tie him up long term, even at 10M per year. In two years, when Redden, Drury, and Rozy are gone, that’s 18.5M – I’d rather have Kovy and 8.5M over those three.

screw mapquest.. I was born raised and worked in CT for most of my life, and I criss crossed that State so many times, my tires are all backward. I inspected half the properties in CT over those 35 years, and I know it like the back of my hand…and all the ins and outs. No way.

“Carp
July 8th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
guys, it’s a good hour and a half from Greenwich to Bristol and I don’t even know why I’m being dragged into this conversation. And there’s always traffic and construction that makes it longer.”

he definitely deserves his number being retired in vancouver, he was a great canuck. he only played 2 years with an elite goaltender (luongo), and those were his 2nd and 3rd to last years of his career.. at the beginning of his vancouver stint mclean was on his decline and battling injuries, splitting time with corey hirsch, arturs irbe, etc., in the middle he had garth snow, dan cloutier, alex auld… not his fault that that team didnt win a cup

Lebron James after-show-party at my place!!!! Bunch of guys comming over with game vids of Lebron . We are making it a “Lebron Night” and a few buddies are wearing his jersey too!!! We are watching the show FER SURE!!!! Then after watching vids of Lebron we will play the NBA10 game and IM LEBRON!!!!! I won his rights the other night and now my buddies want a redraft so maybe they can get Lebron. Popcorn and chips are ready for the big announcement!!!!!
OMG this day is bigger then the OJ Simpson car chase day!!!
ITS THE BIGGEST DAY OF MY LIFE!!!!!

Greg, LMAO!!! Sigh, I wish we still had a Knicks blog here, though that wouldn’t move you guys from this one anyway :) Please all, promise after tomorrow morning at least I can NEVER read his name here again….Hartnell!

ummm Momma , laurel …pssst , I have a quik pet question to ask. Lets make it quik so no one sees this. ( looks around the room)…My Cat Spoooks , yeah remeber her? Well is it BAD that shes addicted to Tim Hortons Double Doubles?
Am I a bad daddy for giving her some. Just a tea spoon usually every time.

(Greg, shhh…I had to look up what that was. WHAT!!! COFFEE! Don’t complain when Spooks tears up the house :) Define “every time.” If it’s laced with enough milk, um, I suppose. Gee, wonder how she got addicted dad?)

Rod, my money’s on Carp. Don’t know your sources, but my George still stays with blogfather.

Are youse going to watch ESPN BC? Or is it a radio talk only? LMAO, it’s getting even funnier. So, he kept it all big secret and planning to inform all the involved teams a few minutes before that show, and yet he booked multiple hotel rooms in Miami for this weekend to celebrate. Under his name. Is he really that dumb?

with the Kovalchuk drama, I’m wondering what it might be like when (if) Crosby, Ovechkin or Malkin hit the market. NOTICE THE IF… i’m sure Crosby and Ovechkin will be locked up before that, but just for arguments sake ;-)

Momma , yeah 2 sugars and 2 milk is a double double . 3 times a week or so. I’ll have to control her mooching.

Mr T , dont worry ’bout Malkin. He old already ( HAHA) in hockey life now a days. Koval-KHL ,Malkin , OV are still in their prime but are really expensive. We have Grachev . Hes big powerfull and young. Fast ,Hungry and Cheap!!! Now I should be boasting of Cherapanov cuz he was our guy. Him and Grachev!!!! We gots just Grachev now and im a big fan of his!!! He has a spot open for him and Stepan. There are spots every where!!! This teams youth is exciting. Thats a good thing!!

Kovi is a guarantee. Grachev stuggled in the AHL last year, so he is at least a year from being very good and maybe more than three should he EVER get to 40 goals in the NHL. Kovi is a guarantee. Sign him. fill out the rest of the roster with the kids, who are cheap, but sign him. consequences to the signing would be losing avery (no biggie) redden (finally) and potentially the dubinsky/rozival combo trade we have been hearing so much about. that scenario opens up more room for kreider and grachev and stepan and weise. way more exciting and fun.

I hate basketball…can’t stand LeBron James and this pathetic need to make his decision so IMPORTANT that we need a prime time tv special devoted to it…Can’t stand a sport populated by overpaid, ignorant fools…Can’t stand how he’s going on about how this is a “tough” decision when we all know he’s only looking at the dollar signs and is now gonna party in Miami with the rest of the Tony Montana wanna-bes…

Lebron should have had Bosh and DW there giving him high fives with a little scrimmage or something. Geeeze I paid money for this!!!!??? Wait…free tv , no ..My cable bill isnt free!!! BOOOOOOOO sounds like an Oprah interview!!! All this talking no Rangers!!???? This sucks . Im outta that channel!!!!

If I’m reading u right then u were wrong twice today about lebron. This morning u said it was definitely knicks because of where announcement was taking place. Just a bit ago u said he’ll stay in Cleveland to be the hero.

Anyway…now I can ignore basketball again the way it should be. I think rangers hold tight for a bit and then ditch redden yo Hartford or trade and get Richards or some other #1 center. Unless a kid like stepan really steps up and then u just ditch redden anyway for some other piece of the puzzle.

If a team picked him up we would only be taking a hit for half his cap hit of 5.25mill right? so that would be 2.625mil cap hit, i would do that if it got around to the rangers but i doubt he would make it that far, even with him being injury prone, he is a skilled enough player to take a chance on for that price and under contract for only this coming year

If Kovalchuk is even considering the KHL because of the money isn’t that a pretty good indication that a Stanley Cup isn’t that big of a deal to him? I don’t think I would bother to sign a guy like that.

Besides, has history ever shown that signing a big name free agent can make a mediocre (at best) team a legit Cup contender?

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